Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental

Santa Catalina, officially the Municipality of Santa Catalina (Cebuano: Lungsod sa Santa Catalina; Tagalog: Bayan ng Santa Catalina), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 75,756 people.[3]

Santa Catalina
Municipality
Municipality of Santa Catalina
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Santa, StaCata, Tolong
Map of Negros Oriental with Santa Catalina highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Santa Catalina
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 9°19′59″N 122°51′57″E
Country Philippines
RegionCentral Visayas (Region VII)
ProvinceNegros Oriental
District3rd district
FoundedDecember 17, 1947
Barangays22 (see Barangays)
Government
 [1]
 • TypeSangguniang Bayan
 • MayorPeve O. Ligan
 • Vice MayorJonny C. Abrasaldo
 • CongressmanArnolfo A. Teves Jr.
 • Electorate45,271 voters (2019)
Area
 [2]
 • Total523.10 km2 (201.97 sq mi)
Population
 (2015 census)[3]
 • Total75,756
 • Density140/km2 (380/sq mi)
 • Households
16,712
Economy
 • Income class1st municipal income class
 • Poverty incidence45.59% (2015)[4]
 • Revenue (₱)196,015,787.22 (2016)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
6220
PSGC
074618000
IDD : area code +63 (0)35
Climate typetropical climate
Native languagesCebuano
Magahat language
Tagalog

The town is home to the Minagahat language, the indigenous language of Southern Negros as listed by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino. The language is vital to the culture and arts of the people.

Etymology

The town of Santa Catalina got its name after the supposedly miraculous image of the patron saint, Santa Catalina de Alejandria, installed in the community chapel.

History
Spanish Regime

The town of Santa Catalina was formerly named Tolong. In about 1572, Captain Miguel de Laorca, a member of Legaspi’s expedition, sent the first Spanish mission led by Adrien Lajot, a Belgian mercenary (from Provence Liège) in order to take possession of Negros Island. During that period, there existed settlements at Lunsod (now Daan Lunsod), Secopan (now Secopong), and Cawitan ruled by three chieftains. It was said that these warring chieftains were settled and amicably fused by the Spaniards as a single settlement at Daan Lunsod. In the process of settling, the Spaniards referred to the chieftains as “Kamo Tolon”, (a mispronounced phrase for “Kamo Tolo” which means “The Three of You”). Hence, the name TOLON, and then eventually TOLONG.

Santa Catalina Parish Church

According to the Definatorio of June 11, 1580, the beginning of the Christian Organization of Negros Island was due to the Augustinian Friars. Because of the lack of priests, the secular priest of the Diocese of Cebu undertook the spiritual administration of Negros Island. He placed Dumaguete, Siaton, Marabao (now Bacong), and Manalongon (the name of the river) under the Ministry of Tanjay. In 1751, Tolong and the settlements further down south were taken over by the Recollect Friars because of the distance and difficulty of transportation.

Before 1855, the Recollect Friars who took over the mission of Tolong constructed a convent, a church, a cemetery, and a Tribunal House. The church was built of light materials but the convent and the Tribunal House were made of lime and limestone. In that same period, the poblacion of Tolong was moved and resettled from the old site, Daan Lunsod, to a site further down the coast where the church was built, the present location of Santa Catalina. Even today, a famous landmark can be seen in the form of a balete tree growing on what was left of a portion of a wall of the old Tribunal House, right in the heart of Santa Catalina, which has become a symbol of the town.

An adjacent town, Bayawan, became formally organized in the year 1872.

The occupation of Negros Island increased rapidly, and agriculture progressed in an inconceivable manner. The Spanish government, in order to attain better administration, formed and organized the Province of Negros Oriental in the year 1890, completely independent from the Occidental, Dumaguete was made capital of Negros Oriental and Tolong was next to the last town in the south to be within the Province of Negros Oriental.

American Regime

In the new regime of the American occupation, sometime in the year 1903, the Poblacion of Tolong and Bayawan could not meet the minimum requirement to qualify for a municipality. So the two poblacions were fused together making Bayawan as the main Municipality, calling it Tolong Nuevo, and Tolong was reduced to be a mere Barrio called Tolong Viejo.

Japanese Regime

When World War II broke out, the Japanese occupied Dumaguete on May 26, 1942. Since Tolong was the headquarters of the Guerrilla Movement under the leadership of Col. Abside with Lt. Gonzalo Melodia and some of his Tolong Viejo defenders, the Japanese visited the place with caution, landing only at dawn and back to Dumaguete in the afternoon. The recognized guerrilla unit was aided by local soldiers of the Philippine Commonwealth Army military units engage to encounter by attacking Japanese troops at Santa Catalina from 1942 to 1945 until retreating of all guerrilla fighters from the enemy hands. The province was liberated on April 26, 1945 by the combined forces of the United States Army, Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Constabulary and the Recognized Guerrillas.

Post World War II

After the war, in 1945, Congressman Enrique Medina, who considered himself as a son of Tolong Viejo, sponsored a move to separate Tolong Viejo from Tolong Nuevo.

On December 17, 1947, President Manuel Roxas issued executive order No. 111, making Santa Catalina (previously Tolong Nuevo) the 26th municipality of Negros Oriental. After which, Tolong Nuevo immediately passed a resolution to rename their municipality Bayawan reviving the former name. Hence, the name TOLONG immediately disappeared.

Geography

The topography of Santa Catalina is predominantly slightly rolling hills (70% of its area), 25% is flat, and the remainder is steep terrain. There are 8 rivers and 27 springs.

Climate

Dry season: November to April
Wet season: May to September
Average temperature: 36 °C (97 °F)

Climate data for Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 33
(91)		 31
(88)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 29
(84)		 30
(86)		 30
(86)		 30
(87)
Average low °C (°F) 22
(72)		 22
(72)		 22
(72)		 24
(75)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 46
(1.8)		 45
(1.8)		 56
(2.2)		 83
(3.3)		 163
(6.4)		 203
(8.0)		 236
(9.3)		 204
(8.0)		 210
(8.3)		 211
(8.3)		 143
(5.6)		 77
(3.0)		 1,677
(66)
Average rainy days 12.1 9.8 14.3 17.5 26.0 27.8 28.4 26.9 26.7 27.9 23.3 17.2 257.9
Source: Meteoblue [5]

Barangays

Santa Catalina is politically subdivided into 22 barangays.

BarangayUrban/ruralGeographic
character		Population
(2007)		Population
(2010)
AlangilanRuralCoastal/Farm43464361
AmioRuralHill/Farm21972118
BuenavistaRuralHill/Farm1270990
KabulacanRuralHill/Farm28212480
CaiganganRuralHill/Farm15531386
CaranocheRuralCoastal/Farm37423913
CawitanRuralCoastal/Farm56025809
FatimaRuralCoastal/Farm15171317
MabuhayRuralCoastal/Farm18921847
ManalongonRuralCoastal/Farm43194842
MansagomayonRuralHill/Farm14211011
MilagrosaRuralHill/Farm41483385
NagbinlodRuralHill/Farm25123012
NagbalayeRuralCoastal/Farm49414957
ObatRuralHill/Farm25722599
PoblacionUrbanCoastal/Farm1178812515
San FranciscoRuralCoastal/Farm39404052
San JoseRuralHill/Farm24902539
San MiguelRuralHill/Farm9391282
San PedroRuralCoastal/Farm35173319
Santo RosarioRuralHill/Farm13791315
TalalakRuralHill/Farm37384257

Demographics
Population census of Santa Catalina
YearPop.±% p.a.
1948 8,819—    
1960 15,743+4.95%
1970 39,601+9.65%
1975 51,949+5.59%
1980 56,751+1.78%
1990 53,560−0.58%
1995 62,526+2.94%
2000 67,197+1.56%
2007 72,629+1.08%
2010 73,306+0.34%
2015 75,756+0.63%
Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[3][6][7][8]

Education

Public Elementary Schools - Santa Catalina North 1[9]
NameNameName
Aw-a Elementary SchoolMansagomayon Elementary SchoolSanta Catalina Science Elementary School
Amio Elementary SchoolObat Elementary SchoolSanto Rosario Elementary School
Caigangan Elementary SchoolOmoso Elementary SchoolSanto Tomas Elementary School
Caranoche Elementary SchoolSanta Catalina Central Elementary School

Public Elementary Schools - Santa Catalina North 2[9]
NameNameName
Avocado Elementary SchoolKanggabok Elementary SchoolSan Vicente Elementary School
Buenavista Elementary SchoolManggolod Elementary SchoolTalalak Elementary School
Cawitan Elementary SchoolNagbinlod Elementary SchoolTamlang Elementary School
Danao Elementary SchoolOmol Elementary SchoolTubod Elementary School
Kabulakan Elementary SchoolSan Jose Elementary School
Kakha Elementary SchoolSan Miguel Elementary School

Public Elementary Schools - Santa Catalina South[9]
NameNameName
Ambrosio M. Ramirez Elementary SchoolFatima Elementary SchoolMarcelino E. Elligan-Banlas Elementary School
Bago-Bago Elementary SchoolHingles Elementary SchoolNagbalaye Elementary School
Baknit Elementary SchoolJagna Elementary SchoolSan Francisco Elementary School
Caniogan Valley Elementary SchoolMabuhay Elementary SchoolSan Isidro Elementary School
Carmen Teves Tia Mem. Elementary SchoolMalatubahan Elementary SchoolElias R. Macias Mem. Elementary School

Public High Schools[9]
NameNameName
Santa Catalina Nat'l High SchoolCawitan High SchoolNagbinlod Nat'l High School
Santa Catalina Science High SchoolDon Emilio Macias Mem. Nat'l High SchoolObat High School
Amio Nat'l High SchoolKakha High SchoolPedro R. Abul Memorial High School
Avocado Community High SchoolMilagrosa Nat'l High SchoolSan Miguel High School
Casiano Z. Napigkit Mem. Nat'l High SchoolNagbalaye Nat'l High SchoolTamlang High School

List of former mayors

The former mayors of Santa Catalina are:

  • 1948–1951: Telesforo Belloso (first appointed Mayor)
  • 1951–1968: Herminio T. Electona (first elected Mayor)
  • 1968–1971: Jose N. Napigkit
  • 1971–1980: Herminio T. Electona
  • 1980–1986: Jose N. Napigkit
  • 1986–1987: Herminio T. Electona (Appointed OIC Mayor)
  • 1987–1998: Jose N. Napigkit
  • 1998–2007: Leon M. Lopez
  • 2007–2010: Ruben O. Melodia
  • 2010 – 2013: Leon M. Lopez
  • 2013 – 2016 : Nataniel Electona
gollark: It's fine, LyricLy™ is compliant with our licensing program.
gollark: We can, actually. A team of researchers devised a mechanism allowing synthesising it from bees and gin.
gollark: Begins?
gollark: As such, this and a GPT-2/Neo model and the ABR server GPU™, plus finetuning on IRC logs or something, will permit complete apionic conversion of reality within 3 days.
gollark: I found out that someone has a somewhat hacky way to build long-term memory into language models.

References
  1. "Municipality". Quezon City, Philippines: Department of the Interior and Local Government. Retrieved 31 May 2013.
  2. "Province:". PSGC Interactive. Quezon City, Philippines: Philippine Statistics Authority. Retrieved 12 November 2016.
  3. Census of Population (2015). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. PSA. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  4. "PSA releases the 2015 Municipal and City Level Poverty Estimates". Quezon City, Philippines. Retrieved 12 October 2019.
  5. "Santa Catalina: Average Temperatures and Rainfall". Meteoblue. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
  6. Census of Population and Housing (2010). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay. NSO. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  7. Censuses of Population (1903–2007). "Region VII (Central Visayas)". Table 1. Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by Province/Highly Urbanized City: 1903 to 2007. NSO.
  8. "Province of". Municipality Population Data. Local Water Utilities Administration Research Division. Retrieved 17 December 2016.
  9. "DepEd Negros Oriental". Retrieved August 11, 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.